EPILOGUE

Three weeks later.

“As usual, you’ve outdone yourself, baby. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves,” Jonathan said to his wife when she had finally taken a moment to relax. As usual, the place was packed. But since this house was a lot larger, it accommodated everyone with ease.

“Thanks.”

“It’s good to see Lee and Carly,” he said of his grandnephew and his wife. “It’s hard to believe they will be celebrating their first year wedding anniversary on Christmas Day.”

“They look so happy,” Marilyn said, observing the couple who were standing in a group consisting of other Madaris cousins.

The Madaris family had grown and was still growing, thanks to Jonathan’s mother. Felicia Laverne Madaris was still playing matchmaker and had turned her attention to her great-grandchildren. She had a list of names and those ‘not-ready-for-marriage’ Madarises were running scared.

“Yes, they look extremely happy,” Jonathan agreed. “Remind me of how happy we were on our first anniversary.”

“When I surprised you with the news I was pregnant?” she asked looking at him and remembering. They had spent their first anniversary on a cruise ship to the Bahamas. She had awaken him that morning with a pair of knitted baby booties dangling in his face. He’d deciphered her message real fast.

Jonathan’s smile let her know he was remembering that day as well. “It was definitely a special day, Marilyn. So were the forty-eight that followed,” he said, leaning over and brushing a kiss across her lips.

Just like always, any time his lips touched hers she was renewed with even more love for her husband. “Did you notice the way Nolan is avoiding your mother tonight?” Marilyn asked grinning. Nolan was Jonathan’s grand-nephew, who’d been given the word that he was next on Felicia Laverne’s matchmaker list.

Jonathan chuckled. “Yes, I noticed and I can’t much blame him. He’s also avoiding Helen Chapman. I guess he’s gotten word that Helen’s granddaughter is the woman he’s supposed to marry.”

“He probably has found out.” Marilyn glanced over to where Stuart Jr. stood with Arlene. It had taken her brother five years to prove to Arlene that he’d changed. Stuart Jr. hadn’t given up and he and Arlene had finally remarried. Now they’d been together for more than forty years, had a strong marriage and four handsome sons - Wyatt, Camden and the twins, Branson and Brenton. A few years ago Stuart Jr. had retired from the police force. He and Arlene had moved to Galveston Beach and opened a boat rental company.

Seeing how being a manwhore had nearly ended Stuart Jr.’s life had been an eye-opener for her brother, Roland. He hadn’t wasted time settling down and marrying Mallory, an attorney he met on a ski trip. They had four beautiful daughters. It amused Marilyn whenever her former womanizing brother complained of the no-good guys chasing after his girls.

She shifted her gaze to where her own children stood, conversing with their many cousins. Justin, named after his father’s deceased best friend, was their oldest. He’d followed in his Uncle Roland’s footsteps, becoming a doctor. Then there was Dexter, who was a geologist and who’d been born eighteen months after Justin. Clayton, her attorney son, had arrived eighteen months after Dex.

Marilyn shook her head, thinking that Clayton had inherited some of her brothers’ womanizing ways. But thankfully, none of his girlfriends had ever come around wanting to cry on her shoulder.

Then there were her daughters, Traci, Kattie and Christy. Even though Jonathan had kept his promise of six kids, they’d both been surprised when Christy had come along. Justin and Dex had left for college by then and Clayton was in high school. All of Marilyn’s older children had spoiled their baby sister rotten, and the boys had been fiercely protective of Christy.

Marilyn and Jonathan were happy that all six of their children were married to wonderful spouses, and had given them beautiful grandchildren. She loved this time of year. It had been during the Christmas holidays, those many years ago, that she and Jonathan had taken that pivotal turn in their relationship. And she’d never regretted it.

Roman and Traci had arrived two days ago, and had helped with all the holiday decorations. And just like Roman had promised, he had come with his dancing shoes. She smiled when she saw Roman and Traci dancing, thinking that, even after all these years, they looked good together. She believed the same thing could be said about her and Jonathan.

Marilyn had to admit, everything looked beautiful. With the help of her grands, she had decorated five Christmas trees and thought they looked spectacular. She glanced over to where her grands were huddled in a group talking. She and Jonathan had done well with their family, their pride and joy.

Earlier, she had rushed upstairs to switch into a pair of flat shoes only to run into her son Clayton and his wife Syneda, coming out of one of the guest bedrooms. She didn’t miss Clayton quickly zipping his pants or Syneda readjusting her dress. Marilyn had simply smiled at the amorous couple and wished them a very merry romance and a New Year filled with plenty of passion. Not that they needed any more than they had already.

“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Jonathan asked, reclaiming her attention.

She smiled up at him. “Umm, not lately.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s been a few hours but l never tire of hearing you say it.”

“I love you Marilyn.”

“And I love you Jonathan.”

When he pulled her close to his side, she said “We did good, didn’t we, Jonathan? We made things work. We kept the promises that we made to each other and learned from our mistakes. In the end, we produced a beautiful family and have shared a wonderful life together.”

“Yes, we did good.”

The math coach project had been a huge success. It had spread to not only to other school districts in Texas, but to other districts over the United States. And her book, which she’d updated a few times, was still being used as a textbook.

Pursuing his dream, Jonathan had become the principal of a local high school while attending night classes at the university to get his doctorate degree. She’d earned her graduate degree and later her doctorate as well, while raising a family. Eventually, they both left the public school system to work as college professors a few years before retiring.

The only sad moment in the Madaris family had come when they got the news that Robert had been killed in Vietnam. Everyone had mourned his death, especially Diana and their little girl Felicia Laverne – who was named after her grandmother. Diana had remained a widow for over thirty years and had remarried a few years ago. She and her husband, former Senator Nedwyn Lansing, had arrived at the party earlier in the evening and Diana looked happy.

The biggest surprise had been when Jonathan’s baby brother, Jake - the one everyone thought would wash his hands of Whispering Pines the first chance he got - proved them all wrong. After attending Harvard, Jake returned home to take over the running of the ranch. The Madaris brothers had signed their shares of the ranch over to Jake and only kept an investment interest. Under Jake Whispering Pines had tripled in size.

Marilyn wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck. “You, Jonathan Madaris, have made me a very happy woman.”

A huge smile stretched across his lips. “And you, Marilyn Erika Bannister Madaris, have made me a very happy man. And look what I have,” he said, holding up a sprig of mistletoe.

He leaned down and whispered close to her lips. “And you know what that means, right?”

Yes, she knew and was more than ready when he leaned closer and captured her mouth in a Jonathan Madaris kiss.